We prove the following extension of Tits' simplicity theorem. Let $k$ be an infinite field, $G$ an algebraic group defined and quasi-simple over $k,$ and $G(k)$ the group of $k$-rational points of $G.$ Let $G(k)^+$ be the subgroup of $G(k)$ generated by the unipotent radicals of parabolic subgroups of $G$ defined over $k$ and $PG(k)^+$ the quotient of $G(k)^+$ by its center. Then every normalized function of positive type on $PG(k)^+$ which is constant on conjugacy classes is a convex combination of $1_{PG(k)^+}$ and $δ_e.$ As corollary, we obtain that the only ergodic invariant random subgroups (IRS) of $PG(k)^+$ are $δ_{PG(k)^+}$ and $δ_{\{e\}},$ when $k$ is countable. A further consequence is that, when $k$ is a global field and $G$ is $k$-isotropic and has trivial center, every measure preserving ergodic action of $G(k)$ on a probability space either factorizes through the abelianization of $G(k)$ or is essentially free.
We revisit Margulis-Zimmer Super-Rigidity and provide some generalizations. In particular we obtain super-rigidity results for lattices in higher-rank groups or product of groups, targeting at algebraic groups over arbitrary fields with absolute values. We also obtain cocycle super-rigidity results for a wide class of groups with respect to mixing actions. Our approach is based on a systematic study of algebraic representations of ergodic actions.
We give a new proof that compact infra-solvmanifolds with isomorphic fundamental groups are smoothly diffeomorphic. More generally, we prove rigidity results for manifolds which are constructed using affine actions of virtually polycyclic groups on solvable Lie groups. Our results are derived from rigidity properties of subgroups in solvable linear algebraic groups.
Let $X$ be a compact metrizable group and $Γ$ a countable group acting on $X$ by continuous group automorphisms. We give sufficient conditions under which the dynamical system $(X,Γ)$ is surjunctive, i.e., every injective continuous map $τ\colon X \to X$ commuting with the action of $Γ$ is surjective.
We give a Super-Rigidity theorem a la Margulis which applies for a wider class of groups. In particular it applies to subgroups which are not assumed to be lattices in the ambient group. Our proof is based on the notion of Algebraic Representation of Ergodic Actions.
We prove an operator algebraic superrigidity statement for homomorphisms of irreducible lattices, and also their commensurators, in certain higher-rank groups into unitary groups of finite factors. This extends the authors' previous work regarding non-free measure-preserving actions, and also answers a question of Connes for such groups.
We prove a super-rigidity result for algebraic representations over complete fields of irreducible lattices in product of groups and lattices with dense commensurator groups. We derive some criteria for non-linearity of such groups.
We analyze the structure of a large class of connected algebraic rings over an algebraically closed field of positive characteristic using Greenberg's perfectization functor. We then give applications to rigidity problems for representations of Chevalley groups, recovering, in particular, a rigidity theorem of Seitz.
We study the analogue in orbit equivalence of free product decomposition and free indecomposability for countable groups. We introduce the (orbit equivalence invariant) notion of freely indecomposable ({\FI}) standard probability measure preserving equivalence relations and establish a criterion to check it, namely non-hyperfiniteness and vanishing of the first $L^2$-Betti number. We obtain Bass-Serre rigidity results, \textit{i.e.} forms of uniqueness in free product decompositions of equivalence relations with ({\FI}) components. The main features of our work are weak algebraic assumptions a…
In this paper we study characters on special linear groups SL_n(R), where R is either an infinite field or the localization of an order in a number field. We give several applications to the theory of measure preserving actions, operator-algebraic superrigidity, and almost homomorphisms.
In this paper we propose two guiding principles that suggest a number of conjectures (some now proved) about various forms of rigidity for moduli spaces arising in algebraic geometry. Such conjectures have group-theoretic, topological and holomorphic aspects, and so they also provide motivation for natural problems in geometric group theory and topology.
We show that any infinite collection $(Γ_n)_{n\in \mathbb N}$ of icc, hyperbolic, property (T) groups satisfies the following von Neumann algebraic \emph{infinite product rigidity} phenomenon. If $Λ$ is an arbitrary group such that $L(\oplus_{n\in \mathbb N} Γ_n)\cong L(Λ)$ then there exists an infinite direct sum decomposition $Λ=(\oplus_{n \in \mathbb N} Λ_n )\oplus A$ with $A$ icc amenable such that, for all $n\in \mathbb N$, up to amplifications, we have $L(Γ_n) \cong L(Λ_n)$ and $L(\oplus_{k\geq n} Γ_k )\cong L((\oplus_{k\geq n} Λ_k) \oplus A)$. The result is sharp and complements the pre…
We study equivalence relations that arise from translation actions $Γ\curvearrowright G$ which are associated to dense embeddings $Γ<G$ of countable groups into second countable locally compact groups. Assuming that $G$ is simply connected and the action $Γ\curvearrowright G$ is strongly ergodic, we prove that $Γ\curvearrowright G$ is orbit equivalent to another such translation action $Λ\curvearrowright H$ if and only if there exists an isomorphism $δ:G\rightarrow H$ such that $δ(Γ)=Λ$. If $G$ is moreover a real algebraic group, then we establish analogous rigidity results for the translation…
We prove the existence of certain rationally rigid triples in F_4(p) for good primes p (i.e., p>3), thereby showing that these groups occur as regular Galois groups over Q(t) and so also over Q. We show that these triples give rise to rigid triples in the algebraic group and prove that they generate an interesting subgroup in characteristic 0.
The main goal of this note is to suggest an algebraic approach to the quasi-isometric classification of partially commutative groups (alias right-angled Artin groups). More precisely, we conjecture that if the partially commutative groups $\mathbb{G}(Δ)$ and $\mathbb{G}(Γ)$ are quasi-isometric, then $\mathbb{G}(Δ)$ is a (nice) subgroup of $\mathbb{G}(Γ)$ and vice-versa. We show that the conjecture holds for all known cases of quasi-isometric classification of partially commutative groups, namely for the classes of $n$-tress and atomic graphs. As in the classical Mostow rigidity theory for irre…
In \cite{Kramer11} Kramer proves for a large class of semisimple Lie groups that they admit just one locally compact $σ$-compact Hausdorff topology compatible with the group operations. We present two different methods of generalising this to the group of rational points of an absolutely quasi-simple algebraic group over a non-archimedean local field (the second method only achieves this on the additional hypothesis that the group is isotropic). The first method of argument involves demonstrating that, given any topological group $G$ which is totally disconnected, locally compact, $σ$-compact,…
Let G be an algebraic group over a complete separable valued field k. We discuss the dynamics of the G-action on spaces of probability measures on algebraic G-varieties. We show that the stabilizers of measures are almost algebraic and the orbits are separated by open invariant sets. We discuss various applications, including existence results for algebraic representations of amenable ergodic actions. The latter provides an essential technical step in the recent generalization of Margulis-Zimmer super-rigidity phenomenon due to Bader and Furman.
We present examples of characters of absolute Galois groups of number fields that can be recovered through their action by automorphisms on the profinite completion of the braid groups, using a ``rigidity'' approach. The way we use to recover them is through classical representations of the braid groups, and in particular through the Burau representation. This enables one to extend these characters to Grothendieck-Teichmueller groups.
We classify measures on a homogeneous space which are invariant under a certain solvable subgroup and ergodic under its unipotent radical. Our treatment is independent of characteristic. As a result we get the first measure classification for the action of semisimple subgroups without any characteristic restriction.
We prove vanishing results for Lie groups and algebraic groups (over any local field) in bounded cohomology. The main result is a vanishing below twice the rank for semi-simple groups. Related rigidity results are established for S-arithmetic groups and groups over global fields. We also establish vanishing and cohomological rigidity results for products of general locally compact groups and their lattices.
We prove the existence of certain rationally rigid triples E8 in good characteristic and thereby show that these groups over the prime field occur as Galois groups over the field of rational numbers. We show that these triples give rise to rigid triples in the algebraic group and prove that they generate an interesting subgroup in characteristic 0. As a byproduct we derive a remarkable symmetry between the character table of a finite reductive group and that of its dual group. We also give a classification of possible overgroups in exceptional groups containing regular unipotent elements.
